Virus
by ShadowWalkerZA
Summary: One of the birds are infected by a virus. *COMPLETED*
1. Infection Of Patient Zero

Chapter 1 - Infection of patient zero  
  
He hated waiting, he also hated when people were late. Of course it was only 2 min past twelve, but to him it was 2 min's too late. He needed the vial now, so that he could test it. He'd already chosen a target. A high school teacher, the perfect kind of target. He lifted his head from the collar he had wrapped around his chin and watched as someone walked nervously towards him.  
  
The man was dressed in a business suit covered by a lab coat, which in turn was hastily covered by an over coat. He tried to perfect an air of confidence but he admitted he was scared. He walked quickly to the alleyway where the meeting was to be held.  
  
"You are late," the stranger said walking out of the shadows. The new arrival spun around and glared at him, "You should do that! I could change my mind," he hissed pulling his coat closer to his body. The stranger smirked, "Do you have it?" he asked walking closer to the other. The new arrival nodded and reached into his pocket, he pulled out a thin box that looked almost like a pen box. He handed it over to the stranger. The stranger smiled as he opened it. Inside it was a small dart and a vial containing red liquid. "Good, your money is in that black bag near the door," the stranger replied closing the box. The new arrival looked around and then headed for the bag. After he claims the bag he walks back to the stranger. "It's not contagious unless the victim bites or scratches somebody else. The time it takes before the victim starts feeling the effects varies, mostly depending on their immune system and other factors. Have a nice day," he says and then walks away.  
  
"Yes, I will have a nice day," the stranger whispered to himself slipping the box into his pocket. He looks up at the full moon and smiles, "I'll have a wonderful day."  
  
***  
  
Barbara sighed as she waved good by to Dinah and watched her join Gabby near the doors. "And that sigh?" asked a voice behind her. She smiled realizing it was Cris. "I was just thinking about how far Dinah has come since Helena and I first met her," Barbara replied. Cris stood next to her watched Gabby and Dinah pointing to a guy standing near the road. "To me it looks like you two have done a good job," Cris said as she resumed moving along with Barbara. She didn't know Dinah all that well and she had only met Carolyn Lance once as herself and then again as the Black Canary and even then she respected the woman. To Cris, Dinah seemed head strong, intelligent and confident without the smart-ass attitude most of the kids had today.  
  
"Ouch," Barbara exclaimed bringing Cris back to the present. She looked down and saw Barbara rubbing her neck, "What?" she asked. "Something just stung me," Barbara replied. "A bee?" Cris asked. "No, it was something else." "Perhaps a mosquito," Cris said shrugging. "It probably was," Barbara said and started moving forward.  
  
He watched her from a far, lowering the dart gun. "Bingo," he said to himself. He packed the gun into a case and then walked out of his hiding place. He climbed into his car and left. If news of a virus plaguing New Gotham High leaked out then he knew his weapon had worked.  
  
***  
  
"Go on!" Gabby encouraged Dinah. She shoved Dinah gently forward smiling. Dinah glared at her, "Okay, okay," she said softly. Dinah walked slowly towards two guys, who stood talking to each other. One of them turned around and smiled at her, waving her over. Smiling back she walked up to them. "Hey Tommy," she said greeting the one who had waved at her. "Hey," he greeted back, then he turned to the other guy and said, "Dinah meet Vernon, Vernon Dinah." Vernon smiled at her as he greeted her. Dinah felt as if her legs would collapse, "He has the cutest smile," she thought to herself. They spoke for a while until the bell rang, "Oh hey Dinah," Vernon said turning around and walking backwards, "We're having a party tonight, just a few friends at my place. Mom and Dad are in the Caribbean so I got the house to myself. Wanna join us?" "Oh, yes, okay!" Dinah blurted out. Vernon smiled, turned around and walked away. Dinah rolled her eyes as she joined Gabby, "Oh, yes, okay?! I'm such a dork," she said. Gabby laughed, "Did he ask you out?" Dinah smiled and nodded. "And all I had to do was give you a little push," Gabby said as they walked inside. "Mhm, and that push is called Tommy right? What did you do? tell Gina she had to tell her brother to get to date for me with his best friend?" Dinah asked. "Kinda," Gabby replied. Dinah smiled and then walked into the classroom.  
  
***  
  
Her headache had gotten worse, Barbara sighed as she rubbed her forehead. She made a note to herself to ask Alfred to get stronger painkillers. She heard the elevator doors open and lifted her head. Cris walked in dressed in a long black dress with slits on either side of her dress exposing her legs. A closed Chinese collar covered her neck and the sleeves were short. The dress almost looked like a Chinese dress. "Hey is Dinah ready?" Cris asked approaching her. Barbara winced slightly, Cris was too loud, "Almost, she's just choosing shoes," she replied. Cris frowned, "What's the matter with you?" "Headache," "That's why I'm insisting she should rest," Helena said descending the stairs, "I can handle myself for one night without Oracle." Cris turned to Barbara, "She's right you know," she said. Barbara sighed again, perhaps they were right, "Okay, you both win, but I'm staying up until Dinah comes home," Barbara replied, sternly. Cris shrugged, "If you want, but you've got nothing to worry about, Matthew and I will pick her up a 11 again, nothing can go wrong," she said. "You and Matthew?" Helena asked frowning. Cris grinned, "Didn't you notice the limo outside?" "He's here?" Barbara asked. Cris nodded, "In the car." "Who's here?" Dinah asked appearing on the balcony. All three looked up, Barbara's jaw dropped open, "You're going like that?!" she said and then winced. "Yeah, anyway Helena helped me out, also there's nothing else," Dinah replied, "So who's here?" "Matthew, now we gotta go," Cris replied, she turned to Barbara and said, "See you just after 11." "Cool," Dinah said and followed Cris, while waving at Helena and Barbara. Helena shrugged, "It was either that or that suit she wore when she was after that Matt guy." "Then I like this one better," Barbara said smiling.  
  
***  
  
Matthew had the limo pull up right in front of Vernon's house. Dinah thanked Matthew and waved good-bye at Cris. Tommy joined her as she walked up to the door. "Hey was that Miss Stone and that Harper guy?" he asked letting her in. Dinah nodded, "Yeah they gave me a lift." "Wicked," Tommy exclaimed. He led her to the pool, where everybody was dancing. Vernon met up with them and then looked Dinah up and down, "You look great!" he said and then led her to the dance floor.  
  
***  
  
Barbara blinked as she tried to look at the time. She could just barely make out the time on the computer, it read 10:15. The headache had gotten worse; she tried napping she even tried a wet cloth on the forehead, but nothing worked. She scratched the back of her neck and then cried out. There was a bump on her neck. As she moved towards a mirror she suddenly felt very dizzy. She then fell to the floor, convulsing and started foaming at the mouth. 


	2. Stage One

Chapter 2 - Stage One  
  
[[For soundtrack effects add Aimee Allen's "Come away with me" for this scene]]  
  
Cris rested her head on Matthew's shoulder as they danced slowly to the music. She closed her eyes, feeling as they both stood close together, moving slowly side-to-side. His touch was so gentle and he held her hand as if it was so precious and would break easily. "What are you thinking about?" Matthew asked softly. Cris lifted her head and looked into his eyes. He eye always seemed so on fire with passion. She smiled and place her hand gently on the side of his face, "Just about how wonderful you are," she replied. He smiled and leaned in. Their lips touched and the kiss lingered for a long while. Cris closed her eyes, as her head and body flooded with emotions she wanted to last for a long time. As they slowly pulled away she rested her head on his shoulders again. [[End music]]  
  
***  
  
As the limo pulled up to the clocktower Dinah thanked Cris and Matthew and jumped out. She entered the elevator a pressed a button. As the lift sped up towards the top Dinah's thought wondered back to the party. Vernon had been so sweet to her. He was so amazing and funny. He even taught her how to dance a slow dance. The elevator stopped as she stepped out of the elevator. "Barbara! I'm back!" she yelled as she headed towards the stairs. No one answered back. "She must have eventually gone to bed," Dinah thought to herself, ascending the stairs. She didn't see Barbara's still body lying near the lab entrance.  
  
***  
  
The night had only been riddled with petty break-ins and a few muggings. Huntress hadn't even worked up a sweat yet. "I wonder how Barbara's doing," she thought to her self as she landed on the rooftop of an up market apartment building. Barbara didn't look too good when Huntress left. "Looked like one bad ass headache," she said to herself. She looked down at her watch, it read '1:45' am. "Maybe I should just go check on her, of course she might be sleeping, but just to be sure," she thought and then headed towards the clocktower.  
  
Huntress walked quietly through the apartment. Dinah was sound asleep in her bed. She closed the door and then went downstairs. Something caught her eye and she moved closer. "Oh my. Babara!" she shouted.  
  
***  
  
The sweet silence in Matthew's apartment was shattered as a cell phone rang. Cris lifted her head from the pillow and opened her eyes. She groaned and asked, "Is that yours?" Matthew opened his eyes, "No, mine's more annoying." Cris rolled over and reached for her cell phone that lay next to the bed on a side table. She cleared her throat and then answered it, "Hello?" ::Cris! It's Dinah! You've gotta come, something's happened to Barbara!:: Dinah said between sobs. Suddenly very awake, Cris shot up, "What happened?" ::I don't know, Huntress found her on the floor, she. Cris she looked.:: Dinah started sobbing again. "Where is she," Cris asked as she started climbing back into her clothes. ::In the lab, she woke up and told us not to take us to the hospital, then she passed out:: Huntress replied, she had taken the phone over. She sounded scared and really worried. "Okay, I'm on my way!" Cris replied and cancelled the call. She hopped around as she put the last show on. "What's going on?" Matthew asked sitting up. "Oh shit! Matthew, I'm so sorry, an emergency has just come up. Have to go," She replied looking at hi. "No problem, go. I'll have my driver drop you off, hope everything's okay." he said groggily. She smiled, "I hope so too."  
  
***  
  
Helena looked at Barbara's face. It seemed so disturbed, so different. She hated not knowing what was wrong with her and she still couldn't understand why Barbara didn't want them to take her to the hospital. She looked up at Dinah, another person she was worried about. Dinah's face was pale, her eyes burning with worry as she stared at Barbara. Helena stamped her foot and hit the wall, "Damn it!" "How is she?" Cris asked as she stormed into the lab. "She's sleeping, I think," Helena replied. Cris walked up to Barbara's right hand side, next to Helena. She wiped a lock of hair away from Barbara's cheek. Her skin felt cold and wet. She noticed a bit of foam on the side of her lip. She looked up at Helena and asked, "Has Barbara ever suffered seizures or epileptic fits?" Helena looked at her frowning, "No, why?" She looked back at Barbara. Something didn't seem right, Barbara refusing to go to the hospital and foam at her mouth. She frowned as her mind sped through possibilities. Suddenly the image of Barbara rubbing her neck flashed in front of her. She turned to Helena and said, "Help me roll her to her left side." Helena nodded and stepped around to Barbara's left. They both rolled her gently to her side. Cris lifted Barbara's red hair away from her neck. "Oh my." her voice trailed off. On her neck was what looked like a huge boil of sorts. It was red and bled a little, but what startled her more was thin, blue branch like trails leading away from the sore and then vanishing. She looked up at Helena, "Okay, I need your help again. I need to take a blood sample. I don't know for sure but I think I know what's wrong and I hope I'm wrong." Dinah looked at her even more worried. Helena nodded and rolled Barbara back. Cris grabbed a rubber band, and a empty syringe. She handed the band to Helena and said, "Roll her sleeves up and tie this above her elbow, not too tight." Helena nodded, while she did this Cris prepared the syringe needle. She then walked over to Barbara; she tapped the inside of her elbow until an artery was visible. She inserted the needle and then drew some blood. She placed a cotton wool over the needle and pulled the needle out. "Here, keep this pressed against her arm a few seconds," she said to Helena and then walked to the microscope. She squirted the blood into a vial and places a spot of blood on a chip and slid it into the microscope.  
  
She looked through the lenses. Her whole body went cold. She lifted her head, "Oh no!" 


	3. Patient One

Chapter 3 - Patient 1  
  
Helena looked up, "What?" she managed to say. Cris' face had turned pale and Helena's gut churned. Cris looked up at Helena and then Dinah, "It's a virus, I think," she took a deep breath in, "It has the properties of one." "What kind of virus," Dinah asked. "I don't know, it looks similar to the Nipah Virus, but it seems different, almost mutated. The foam at her mouth tells me she suffered a seizure of sorts, that's normally associated Encephalitis, inflammation of the brain, but that's the only symptom I can see," Cris replied rubbing her forehead. "But, It can't be, has she been in contact with any horses or pigs?" Cris asked. "I don't think so," Dinah replied. Cris' mind raced, something bothered her. It definitely looked like the Nipah virus but there was something more to it. "Cris?" Helena said interrupting her, "What's going to happen? She's not going." "No, you know just as well as I, Barbara's too strong to let some virus get the better of her. Okay listen, we need to monitor her closely, especially her breathing. Meanwhile I would be safe if we wore rubber gloves. Normally you can't contact it from Human to Human, but I say we just be careful for the time being," Cris replied. Both Dinah and Helena nodded and got busy. Cris looked at Barbara for a moment and then turned around and got working.  
  
At 5am Cris took a break and walked outside, on the balcony. A million thoughts ran through her mind. How could she have been infected? I couldn't have been the mosquito that bit her the previous morning, someone infected with the Nipah virus normally show symptoms 3-14 days. If the onset was so quick, then coma wasn't too far away. She didn't hear Helena join her.  
  
"For a history teacher you sure know a lot about viruses," Helena said, standing next to Cris. "I was a big fan of Robin Cook's book 'Outbreak', I used to research viruses in my spare time. I also used to work as a lab assistant sometimes. Barbara could never understand why I was so crazy about it, but she helped me sometimes," Cris replied turning to face Helena, "I did a portfolio on the Nipah virus and even though it was a few years back, it's still fresh in my mind." "You said it seemed different, why?" "Something about it doesn't seem right, the onset, if caused by the mosquito, was too quick. She only suffered a headache before the seizure, normally a patient is also feverish. To me it seemed to be altered, almost perfected, but. how?" Helena looked down, she felt as if Barbara was slipping away from them and there was nothing she could do. She looked up at Cris, "You know, when you first came here, I didn't trust you. Even after I learned you were Barbara's friend, I felt weary. Now it seems you're the only one who knows what's going on here, more or less and I can't help thinking that now more than ever is the time to trust you. Ha! I'm starting to sound like Barbara," Helena said and then chuckled. Cris was silent for a moment and then said, "Thank-you"  
  
***  
  
Helena groaned as she was shaken awake. Cris was kneeling in front of her with her hand on Helena's arm. "Helena?" Cris asked. "Yeah?" Helena asked as she opened her eyes. "I've gotta go to the school to pick a few things up, I got my comset on if you need me," Cris said standing up. She had just showered and borrowed some of Barbara's clothes. "Okay," Helena replied groggily. She looked around her a noticed it was light outside. Then she remembered Barbara and looked over to her bed. Barbara lay silent with her eyes closed; Dinah had fallen asleep next to her holding her hand. Helena got up and followed Cris to the elevator. "Is there any change?" She asked. Cris turned to her and said, "Nothing, which is a good sign, but I can't say for how long." Helena nodded and watched as the elevator doors closed. "I wouldn't worry Miss Helena, Miss Barbara has been though a lot more than this," Alfred said behind Helena. Helena turned around and smiled, "You're right." "Now, you wake Miss Dinah up and come to the kitchen, I've prepared breakfast."  
  
***  
  
Cris yawned as she pulled up to the parking lot. She climbed out and started walking towards the reception. Something caught her eye and she looked down into the bed of flowers. Something had reflected the sun's rays at Cris, bending down she picked it up. It was a small black dart. Frowning she carried on walking.  
  
She reached the reception and approached the receptionist. "Hey Darcy, Barbara didn't feel well this morning so she asked me to pick a few things up in her classroom, can I have her spare keys?" Cris asked. The receptionist smiled and pulled back a drawer, "I hope she gets better, oh by the way, someone came in looking for her just now. You passed him when you came in." "Yeah?" Cris remembered the man's face. He seemed very sketchy. "He said he had an appointment with her, maybe you know something about it?" the receptionist said handing a key over to Cris. "What did he say his name was?" Cris asked accepting the key. "Aaron Scott." "No I didn't know about the meeting. Anyway thanks for the key," Cris replied and then walked out. She spotted Mr. Scott and walked up to him saying, "Mr Scott! Hi, I'm Miss Stone, I understand you had an appointment with Miss Gordon this morning?" Aaron turned around and smiled, "Hello, yes I did, but the secretary told me she wasn't in." "Yes, well she called in sick, is there anything I can help you with?" Cris replied. "Well, my son and I moved over here and he's very interested in computer sciences, I just wanted to talk to Miss Gordon about her class and if it were possible that she could fit him in, what is wrong with her?" He replied. To Cris his question struck her as odd and a little intrusive. "I think she said something about the flu," Cris replied. He smiled and looked down at her hand as she fiddled with the key. He spotted the dart and then shot a look at her, he then smiled and said, "Well thank-you very much Miss Stone." He then turned around and walked away. Cris felt uneasy about him, especially the look he gave her after he saw the dart. She made a note to try and access Delphi and bring up info about him.  
  
***  
  
Dinah, after showering, entered the lab. She looked over at Barbara and saw her eyes were open. She turned to Helena and whispered, "Helena!" she then pointed at Barbara. Helena looked up, both moved over to Barbara. Her eyes darted between them. "Hey," Helena said softly, "How are you?" Barbara's eyes darted from Helena to Dinah then to Helena and so on. She seemed scared and confused, "Barbara?" Dinah said her head closer to Barbara. Suddenly Barbara's hand shot up and she started choking Dinah. As she tightened her grip around Dinah's neck her nails started digging into Dinah's neck, drawing blood. 


	4. The Past

Chapter 4 - The Past  
  
"Oh sh. Barbara!" Helena exclaimed as she tried to pry Barbara's hand away from Dinah's neck, "Barbara! Let go!" "You're. hurting. me," Dinah managed to say. Hearing this Barbara let go. Her eyes looked so wild, so confused as they darted around the room. Helena pulled Dinah backwards and stared at Barbara. Not knowing what to do, hurt her so much. She wanted to comfort Barbara and tell her everything was going to be okay, but she was scared of being attacked. What made her attack Dinah? Dinah stood gulping in air. She wiped some blood off her neck and looked at it. Her eyes widened as she looked up at Helena. Just then Cris burst in the room. "What's going on?" she said as she rushed to them. "I. Barbara attacked Dinah, she just woke up and when we moved closer she started choking her," Helena replied. Cris looked over at Barbara and then at Dinah. She saw the blood on Dinah hand and took a sharp breath in. She moved over to Barbara, immediately Barbara's hand shot up. Cris jerked her head back. "Helena, quick, help me tie her down," she said as she reached for the leather straps on the bed. Both Helena and Cris fought to hold her down and tie the straps around her arms and legs. As the finished Cris dashed to the drug cabinet, she took out a tranquilizer and a syringe. "Okay, now I need you to keep her still for me," Cris said as she drew the liquid out, into the syringe. She squirted some out to get rid of the air and the approached Barbara. She nods at Helena and then moves in as Helena keeps her still. After a few seconds Barbara stopped thrashing about and closed her eyes.  
  
Helena and Cris stared at her then Helena turned to Cris, "What just happened?" she asked. Cris threw the syringe into a dustbin and then walked over to Dinah, "Some patients suffer mental confusion, most of the time they're just merely confused, but there have been cases where the infected attack those close to him or her," Cris replied as she looked at Dinah's neck. The bleeding was only slight, but Cris still feared that Dinah could possibly be infected. She asked Helena for a cotton ball and disinfectant. "Okay, are there any other surprises in store?" Helena asked handing Cris the stuff. "No, nothing surprising," Cris replied her face was grim. "But there's something else, isn't there?" Cris looked up at Helena and sighed, "The next step is normally a coma." Helena stared at her for a moment, "How much time do we have?" Cris placed a plaster on Dinah's neck and the looked back at Helena, sighing, "I don't know." All three fell quiet for a moment. Then Cris cleared her throat, "Dinah, I need a blood sample from you."  
  
Dinah looked at her confused, "Why?" "I just need to make sure, I think I should take samples from all of us," she replied. "But you said that infection is only possible if were in contact with horses or pigs," Helena said frowning. "I know, I just want to know we are safe." Helena and Dinah nodded and followed Cris to the lab table. Once finished she placed the three chips into a small slot into a computer. "It'll take a while for the computer to anaylise this, Dinah, you look after Barbara," she then looked at Helena, "Could I speak to you at the computer station? I need help with Delphi." Helena nodded and followed Cris out.  
  
Dinah sat down and looked over at Barbara. She felt more scared than ever. Barbara looked so pale, so. lost. She leaned her head against the wall and kept her eyes on Barbara. Her mind wandered to her first day at New Gotham, Barbara asked her if she was ready a dozen times. She acted almost like she was Dinah's mother. Barbara was more or less her mother. She had given Dinah hope for the future, a better hope than the Redmonds. She had almost been there for her when her real mom, Carolyn, died. A tear started to form on her right eye. "Don't you leave us Barbara, don't you leave me."  
  
***  
  
Cris rolled a chair up to the computer station and sat down sighing. "There is something wrong with Dinah, isn't there?" Helena asked standing in front of Cris folding her arms. Cris ran her hand through her hair. She stayed staring at the floor when she answered Helena, "I don't know, it. when I saw the blood, i." "You don't seem to know a lot of things!" Helena cut in harshly, "Everytime we ask you something it's always, I don't know, I thought you knew this virus!" "Look!" Cris stood up abruptly, "I know this virus, I know it very well. What's swimming in her blood is that little son of a bitch, but what I don't know is how Barbara could have gotten it. And because of that, I don't know if Dinah has it. The little fucker has also mutated. So DON'T tell me I don't know it!" she shouted, all the frustration started boiling out. "You know more than you letting on, don't you?" Helena said frowning, "There's something you're not telling me." Cris glared at her, "Don't go there." "You know what? I'll go where I want to! Barbara is laying there and the only person who can help her is you, but something is bothering you and I need to know what it is, cause I'd be damned if I let you touch her if you're not all honest with us!" Cris breathed deep in and out, trying to calm herself. She shook her head as she sat down. Then, bending forward she rested her forehead in her hand. "When I was 10, my parents took my brother and myself to Australia. My mother's friend owned a farm there. I was so excited; I could hardly hold myself together. Mom told me about all the horses, cattle, pigs and sheep. I loved horses, must have read every single book that dealt with horses." She paused and leaned backwards. "One day the supervisor took us out horses riding. We rode all over the farm, I loved it so much I wasn't even tired. I just wanted to keep riding. Late afternoon we arrived back at the farm. I climbed of my horse and patted it on the nose. It sneezed on me and everyone laughed, even me. Day after the next my parents rushed me off to the hospital. I had a huge headache and a fever that could match Niagara Falls. The doctor took a blood sample and then gave my parents the bad news. I was infected with the Nipah virus." She fell silent. Helena looked down at the floor; she didn't know what to say. Cris stood up, excused herself and walked outside onto the balcony, tears started streaming down her face. 


	5. Breaking The Rules

Chapter 5 - Breaking the rules  
  
[[Soundtrack for this scene (although the lyrics don't fit that well) Creed "Wash Away Those Years"]]  
  
Cris stood and watched as the afternoon sun bathed the buildings in a golden light. She heard Helena's footstep fall softly behind her. Helena walked slowly towards Cris, "I'm sorry," she said softly. Cris lifted her head and looked out at the buildings, "The pain was so unbearable, It felt as if someone were pounding me on the head with a sledge hammer. Then the voices came. It was like standing in a crowd of a thousand people talking to you all at once, some shouting other whispering. Then you wish for silence and the silence comes but it's so deafening. Then you don't know who you are anymore and you see people stare at you, they seem so strange, unfamiliar. And." she choked, "And then the darkness comes and all of a sudden you realize you either dying or dead. The cold, the loneliness, the silence all starts driving you insane." They stood silent for a long while, just looking out. Then Cris dried her eyes and turned around.  
  
She looked straight at Helena, "I've given her a drug called ribavirin, it has been found effective against the virus. All we can do now is wait, but if Dinah has been infected, we may have a problem. Her being a meta could interfere with the drug. Either the drug won't work or it could have adverse effects." "Like what?" Helena asked. "Because the virus is associated with the inflammation of the brain, it could wreak havoc with Dinah's mental abilities. The drug, as it fights the virus, could assist in destroying those abilities," Cris replied. Helena shook her head, "So what do we do if she is infected?" Cris frowned, "Pray for a miracle."  
  
***  
  
Dinah, Helena and Cris sat in the lab. Dinah had fallen asleep and Helena nodded off every now and then. Cris started at the ceiling as thought ran through her mind. Suddenly she remembered the dart she had picked up at the school. Then her mind sped, What if someone injected the virus into Barbara through the dart? Who is Aaron Scott really and why did he look nervous when he saw the dart in my hand. Cris rolled her head over at Helena. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was steady.  
  
Cris could only guess how Helena felt. There was a chance she might loose Barbara, who was like her mother to her and if the blood results came through positive she could loose Dinah too. The thought of someone intentionally infecting Barbara angered Cris. What would he have achieved if the virus had broken out? What sick game was he playing?  
  
He thoughts were interrupted by a beep from the computer. Helena opened her eyes and looked at Cris. Dinah had also woken up but stayed seated. Cris took a deep breath in and then typed a few commands in. Dinah and Helena watched her intently with the hope that they were wrong. Cris' shoulder then sagged and she bent her head. She swiveled around and then looked up at Dinah, "I." she then looked down.  
  
Dinah swallowed and then said, "Um. Okay," she tucked a lock oh hair behind her head. She stared at the floor; she didn't know what to feel. Helena walked over to her and kneeled down in front of her. She took Dinah's hand and just stayed there.  
  
***  
  
Helena brushed a lock of hair way from Dinah's face. She had fallen asleep and Helena just sat next to her fighting the urge to scream. She didn't want to loose her; Dinah was like a sister to her. Cris words rang in her head. She looked up at the ceiling imagining she was looking up at the heavens, "I don't know how to do this so I'm just gonna try. I know I haven't bent down in prayer to you before; all those times when I could have I instead turned away. I always blamed you for not being there for my mother and I'm sorry," she took a deep breath in, "But now I'm here and." she looked down at Dinah, "I need you now. I need you to keep them alive; you know what Barbara and Dinah means to me. You know I can't go on if they die. Please, God, grant me a miracle and don't let them die." A single tear ran down her cheek.  
  
Cris watched her from the doorway. She had never prayed before but she too hoped that it would work. She looked down at her hands at the mask Alfred had made her. What she was about to do would be totally against the code she and every hero had sworn to. The code to never kill.  
  
***  
  
Aaron whistled as he entered his apartment. He didn't bother switching his light on, as the moonlight had provided enough illumination. He walked slowly past his living room and into his bedroom, unaware of a presence in the shadows watching him. He entered his bathroom and opened the tap, he bent down and splashed the water over his face and the straightened himself. As he looked into the mirror he noticed someone standing behind him.  
  
***  
  
Helena walked silently out of Dinah's room. She needed to get air and talk to Cris. As she walked towards the balcony she noticed a window, still open on the computer screen. On it was a picture of someone named Aaron Scott and an address flashing in red. She frowned as she looked around. She then saw Cris' mask on a table with o note on it. It read, "Gone to get that miracle."  
  
***  
  
Aaron ducked as Cris swung a fist at him. Her hand crashed into the mirror and she screamed though gritted teeth as the glass cut into her right hand. Aaron tried to slip past her but she planted a kick in his ass that sent him flying into the bedroom. She rushed towards him and punched him in the nose with her left hand. Blood erupted from his nose and rushed down his chin. "What do you want?!" he spat out. "Where's the antidote?" Cris asked and picked him up by his collar. "I don't know what you talking about," he sneered. She flung him across the room and he landed with a grunt against the wall. Cris lifted him up again and said, "Wrong answer. Now tell me, where is the antidote?" He spat blood and saliva into her face and said, "Forget it!" Enraged she dragged him to the balcony, threw him onto the ledge and leaned him over. She held onto him by his neck and then asked, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't let you go!" 


	6. Miracle

Chapter 6 - Miracle  
  
"You let him go and we'll loose both of them!" Huntress said behind Cris. Cris stared at Aaron. Inside her she was fighting a battle between doing the right thing and doing it her way. She gritted her teeth as she struggled to make her decision. Her hand around his neck started shaking as she tensed. She started screaming through her teeth and then lifted him back to safety. She grabbed his collar and pulled him close to her, close enough for her to smell his breath, "Give me the antidote or I change my mind."  
  
Huntress breathed an inward sigh of relief. She then moved next to Cris and looked at Aaron, "I won't be able to stop her again, so I suggest you give her the stuff."  
  
Aaron stared at them both, he was loosing this and he had to think fast, "Okay, okay, just let me go."  
  
Cris shoved him backwards, releasing him. She stared at him and said, "Any moves I don't like and you'll be meeting your maker, sooner than you expected."  
  
Aaron glared at her and ten slowly moved sideways. He entered the apartment and shuffled to a study table that stood near the balcony. He tugged on a shelf and it opened slowly. He reached in and lifted the pencil box. He opened it and lifted a vial.  
  
He smirked and waved it in front of them, "Is this what you want?" He flung it away out the window.  
  
"NO!!!!" cris shouted and lunged after the vial over the balcony.  
  
"Cris!!!" Helena shouted as she rushed after Cris.  
  
Cris reached out her hand and caught the vial, then noticed the grave mistake she had made. As she felt herself fall, she tucked the vial near her so it would break. She closed her eyes and felt as her body rushed to the ground.  
  
She didn't know how long she had fallen unconscious. She groaned as she tried to move. She could hear someone calling her name, but the voice was soft. Then the smell hit her, an awful rotting smell and that of decomposition. She wrinkled her nose as her eyes fluttered open. She could see someone wade through the muck above her. Her vision cleared and she saw Huntress' face, deep with worry look over at her. "Are you okay?" she asked, relieved to see Cris eyes open. The fall into the dumpster had been a hard one and Huntress doubted weather the junk was enough to break her fall. Cris stared at her for a moment and then looked down at her hands, in them lay the vial, unbroken.  
  
Huntress thrusted a hand forward and helped Cris out. Cris winced as she leaned on her left foot; she bumped it against the side when she fell. She looked up and noticed a grin on Huntress' face. At first she was confused as to why she found this amusing, but then Huntress lifted a rotten banana peel off her shoulder and held it out to Cris. She started laughing and then Cris joined in. They stood there for a while just laughing, eventually Huntress threw an arm around Cris' shoulder and helped her walk back to her car.  
  
***  
  
Barbara felt a rush of cool fresh air as she breathed in deep. She slowly opened her eyes and focused on the ceiling. Once her vision cleared she moved her head and looked around the lab. The morning sun streamed through the window and added a warm glow to everything it touched. Helena, Dinah and Cris lay asleep in the lab. Dinah on what looked like a make shift bed, Helena slept in a chair next to Barbara and Cris slept with her head buried in her arms that rested on the lab table. As the deep sleep slowly wore off, she felt the dryness of her throat and cleared it, startling Helena.  
  
Helena looked sleepily over at Barbara. Her eyes suddenly sparkled awake and she smiled, "Hey," she said softly as she moved closer, "How are you feeling?" Barbara licked her dry lips, "I've been better," she answered, her voice croaking. "Barbara?" came Dinah's voice. The young teen stood up and shuffled over to the other two. She looked tired a weary, but she managed to smile. She gently took Barbara's hand and seated herself next to Barbara. Barbara smiled and took another deep breath in. She frowned and said, "What's that smell?" Dinah and Helena burst out laughing.  
  
***  
  
He was going to make her pay. He had lost this time, but there were many more days left. He was going to make sure she entered hell before him. There were many more viruses he could use and it would please him for her to be his next patient. "Just you wait Miss Stone, death would be proud and there's no raging against this death!"  
  
THE END 


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